The eBook-Haters Meme

Back before life kicked me in the balls I had flagged this as good blog content for while I was away. Well, now I’m back and I’m going to resurrect this post. I’m not truly and eBook hater, just someone who thinks that the way they are going about it right now is the wrong way.

  1.   Have you ever tried reading an eBook? If so, on what device?

Yes, I’ve read a few relatively short eBooks on my computer.

  2.  What's your single main reason for not reading eBooks?

I think if I’m completely honest it’s that I simply like the feel of a real book in my hands because that’s what I’m used to and comfortable with.

  3.  Are there any other reasons you don't usually read eBooks?

Yes, the biggest of which is DRM. When I buy something, I want to actually own it and be able to do with it as I please. Transfer it from one format to another, from one device to another, etc. I’m no rampant file-sharer, I just want the flexibility to do with it as I please. Also the proprietary format that so many e-readers have is wrong. I want to be able to buy an eBook from Amazon and read it on an Apple product. Or the Nook, or whatever. All eBooks should be in the same format and fully transferable between devices.

  4.  What would it take to get you to read eBooks?

Eliminate DRM and proprietary formatting. Make all eBooks in a single, universal format that is fully transferable. Also, someone would need to buy me an e-reader (I’m probably too lazy and cheap to do it myself).

  5.  What do you think is a fair price for an eBook?

I’m not someone who is hung up on the price issue like so many others. I think a fair price for an eBook is a price that allows a publisher to recover their costs and make a reasonable profit. I don’t know what that price is, but I agree with the idea that it probably varies with time. Related to price, publishers should consider a way for people who purchase the hard copy of a book to get a free (or at least very much reduced price) eBook version. And perhaps vice-versa.

So, what about you?

Via SF Signal and World in a Satin Bag

Gollancz Fantasy Masterworks: What I've Read

Since I'm going to be an active participant on the SF and Fantasy Masterworks Reading Project blog, I thought I might give an idea to the readers here just what I have read or at least own out of the books added to the Fantasy list (the SF Masterworks list is here). Bold means I've read it, italics that I own but haven't read it, and plain means I don’t own it and haven’t read it. Links will be provided to reviews that I have written, either here or on the SFF Masterworks blog.

1 - The Book of the New Sun, Volume 1: Shadow and Claw - Gene Wolfe
2 - Time and the Gods - Lord Dunsany
3 - The Worm Ouroboros - E.R. Eddison
4 - Tales of the Dying Earth - Jack Vance
5 - Little, Big - John Crowley
6 - The Chronicles of Amber - Roger Zelazny
7 - Viriconium - M. John Harrison
8 - The Conan Chronicles, Volume 1: The People of the Black Circle - Robert E. Howard
9 - The Land of Laughs - Jonathan Carroll
10 - The Compleat Enchanter: The Magical Misadventures of Harold Shea - L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt

11 - Lud-in-the-Mist - Hope Mirrlees
12 - The Book of the New Sun, Volume 2: Sword and Citadel - Gene Wolfe
13 - Fevre Dream - George R. R. Martin
14 - Beauty - Sheri S. Tepper
15 - The King of Elfland's Daughter - Lord Dunsany
16 - The Conan Chronicles, Volume 2: The Hour of the Dragon - Robert E. Howard
17 - Elric - Michael Moorcock
18 - The First Book of Lankhmar - Fritz Leiber
19 - Riddle-Master - Patricia A. McKillip
20 - Time and Again - Jack Finney

21 - Mistress of Mistresses - E.R. Eddison
22 - Gloriana or the Unfulfill'd Queen - Michael Moorcock
23 - The Well of the Unicorn - Fletcher Pratt
24 - The Second Book of Lankhmar - Fritz Leiber
25 - Voice of Our Shadow - Jonathan Carroll
26 - The Emperor of Dreams - Clark Ashton Smith
27 - Lyonesse I: Suldrun's Garden - Jack Vance
28 - Peace - Gene Wolfe
29 - The Dragon Waiting - John M. Ford
30 - Corum: The Prince in the Scarlet Robe - Michael Moorcock

31 - Black Gods and Scarlet Dreams - C.L. Moore
32 - The Broken Sword - Poul Anderson
33 - The House on the Borderland and Other Novels - William Hope Hodgson
34 - The Drawing of the Dark - Tim Powers
35 - Lyonesse II and III: The Green Pearl and Madouc - Jack Vance
36 - The History of Runestaff - Michael Moorcock
37 - A Voyage to Arcturus - David Lindsay
38 - Darker Than You Think - Jack Williamson
39 - The Mabinogion - Evangeline Walton
40 - Three Hearts & Three Lions - Poul Anderson

41 - Grendel - John Gardner
42 - The Iron Dragon's Daughter - Michael Swanwick
43 - WAS - Geoff Ryman
44 - Song of Kali - Dan Simmons
45 - Replay - Ken Grimwood
46 - Sea Kings of Mars and Other Worldly Stories - Leigh Brackett
47 - The Anubis Gates - Tim Powers
48 - The Forgotten Beasts of Eld - Patricia A. McKillip
49 - Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
50 - The Mark of the Beast and Other Fantastical Tales - Rudyard Kipling

What’s the take-home message? I haven’t read very many, which on reason why I signed up for the SF and Fantasy Masterworks Reading Project.

Gollancz SF Masterworks: What I've Read

Since I'm going to be an active participant on the SF and Fantasy Masterworks Reading Project blog, I thought I might give an idea to the readers here just what I have read or at least own out of the books added to the SF list (I’ll do the Fantasy list in a separate post). This list will include books coming out later this year. In addition, the roman numbers indicate books originally released as part of a hardcover subset, so there will be some duplicates on this list. Bold means I've read it, italics that I own but haven't read it, and plain means I don’t own it and haven’t read it. Links will be provided to reviews that I have written, either here or on the SFF Masterworks blog.

I - Dune - Frank Herbert

II - The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. Le Guin

III - The Man in the High Castle - Philip K. Dick

IV - The Stars My Destination - Alfred Bester

V - A Canticle for Leibowitz - Walter M. Miller, Jr.

VI - Childhood's End - Arthur C. Clarke

VII - The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress - Robert A. Heinlein

VIII - Ringworld - Larry Niven

IX - The Forever War - Joe Haldeman

X - The Day of the Triffids - John Wyndham

1 - The Forever War - Joe Haldeman

2 - I Am Legend - Richard Matheson

3 - Cities in Flight - James Blish

4 - Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? - Philip K. Dick

5 - The Stars My Destination - Alfred Bester

6 - Babel-17 - Samuel R. Delany

7 - Lord of Light - Roger Zelazny

8 - The Fifth Head of Cerberus - Gene Wolfe

9 - Gateway - Frederik Pohl

10 - The Rediscovery of Man - Cordwainer Smith

11 - Last and First Men - Olaf Stapledon

12 - Earth Abides - George R. Stewart

13 - Martian Time-Slip - Philip K. Dick

14 - The Demolished Man - Alfred Bester

15 - Stand on Zanzibar - John Brunner

16 - The Dispossessed - Ursula K. Le Guin

17 - The Drowned World - J. G. Ballard

18 - The Sirens of Titan - Kurt Vonnegut

19 - Emphyrio - Jack Vance

20 - A Scanner Darkly - Philip K. Dick

21 - Star Maker - Olaf Stapledon

22 - Behold the Man - Michael Moorcock

23 - The Book of Skulls - Robert Silverberg

24 - The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds - H. G. Wells

25 - Flowers for Algernon - Daniel Keyes

26 - Ubik - Philip K. Dick

27 - Timescape - Gregory Benford

28 - More Than Human - Theodore Sturgeon

29 - Man Plus - Frederik Pohl

30 - A Case of Conscience - James Blish

31 - The Centauri Device - M. John Harrison

32 - Dr. Bloodmoney - Philip K. Dick

33 - Non-Stop - Brian Aldiss

34 - The Fountains of Paradise - Arthur C. Clarke

35 - Pavane - Keith Roberts

36 - Now Wait for Last Year - Philip K. Dick

37 - Nova - Samuel R. Delany

38 - The First Men in the Moon - H. G. Wells

39 - The City and the Stars - Arthur C. Clarke

40 - Blood Music - Greg Bear

41 - Jem - Frederik Pohl

42 - Bring the Jubilee - Ward Moore

43 - VALIS - Philip K. Dick

44 - The Lathe of Heaven - Ursula K. Le Guin

45 - The Complete Roderick - John Sladek

46 - Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said - Philip K. Dick

47 - The Invisible Man - H. G. Wells

48 - Grass - Sheri S. Tepper

49 - A Fall of Moondust - Arthur C. Clarke

50 - Eon - Greg Bear

51 - The Shrinking Man - Richard Matheson

52 - The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch - Philip K. Dick

53 - The Dancers at the End of Time - Michael Moorcock

54 - The Space Merchants - Frederik Pohl and Cyril M. Kornbluth

55 - Time Out of Joint - Philip K. Dick

56 - Downward to the Earth - Robert Silverberg

57 - The Simulacra - Philip K. Dick

58 - The Penultimate Truth - Philip K. Dick

59 - Dying Inside - Robert Silverberg

60 - Ringworld - Larry Niven

61 - The Child Garden - Geoff Ryman

62 - Mission of Gravity - Hal Clement

63 - A Maze of Death - Philip K. Dick

64 - Tau Zero - Poul Anderson

65 - Rendezvous with Rama - Arthur C. Clarke

66 - Life During Wartime - Lucius Shepard

67 - Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang - Kate Wilhelm

68 - Roadside Picnic - Arkady and Boris Strugatsky

69 - Dark Benediction - Walter M. Miller, Jr.

70 - Mockingbird - Walter Tevis

71 - Dune - Frank Herbert

72 - The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress - Robert A. Heinlein

73 - The Man in the High Castle - Philip K. Dick

74 - Inverted World - Christopher Priest

75 - Kurt Vonnegut - Cat's Cradle

76 - H.G. Wells - The Island of Dr. Moreau

77 - Arthur C. Clarke - Childhood's End

78 - H.G. Wells - The Time Machine

79 - Samuel R. Delany - Dhalgren (July 2010)

80 - Brian Aldiss - Helliconia (August 2010)

81 - H.G. Wells - Food of the Gods (Sept. 2010)

82 - Jack Finney - The Body Snatchers (Oct. 2010)

83 - Joanna Russ - The Female Man (Nov. 2010)

84 - M.J. Engh - Arslan (Dec. 2010)


What’s the take-home message? I haven’t read very many, which on reason why I signed up for the SF and Fantasy Masterworks Reading Project.

2010 Stats So Far (The Meme)

Well, I’ve resisted joining in on the latest SFF blogger meme going around about books read to date because I think it’s a bit pointless and defensive. But I really don’t have anything better to do, so I suppose I’ll jump into the mix. Since I actually track these things, it’s easy enough for me to do and easy enough for me to provide a bit more.

My life is busy and reading time limited, so I’ve only read 15 books this year. Here’s how the break down by publisher:

Angry Robot: 1
Ballantine: 1
Daw: 1
Del Rey: 1
Harper: 1
Orbit: 3
PS Publishing: 1
Pyr: 2
Roc: 1
Spectra: 1
Tor: 2

I suppose it’s worth mentioning that very little separates Ballantine, Del Rey and Spectra, so that is probably better reported as 3 for Random House. Likewise, Daw and Roc aren’t that far apart either and could easily be reported as 2 for Penguin Group.

Of those, 13 were provided by the publisher for review, 1 came from a contest and 1 was purchased by me. 6 were first published in 2009 and 9 are 2010 publications.

The demographic breakdown: 6 were written by women and 9 were written by men. At least 3 were written by persons of color (yes, the stats I keep track of include this as best as easily knowable).

13 fit the broad definition of fantasy and only 2 fit the broad definition of science fiction. 3 fit into the more classic category of epic fantasy. 5 meet a broad definition of urban fantasy, 1 fits into steampunk, and one is alternative history. Some books may meet more than one category and a few really don’t fit any of them. 11 are at least loosely part of a series, the remaining 4 stand completely alone, but may yet have sequels. 8 were novel debuts. 4 were written by authors I’ve read before and 11 were new to me. I’ve interviewed 5 of the authors at some point or another. The average rating for these books is 7.8, with a low of 6.5-7 (3 books) and high of 9 (three books). One was a novella and so far I haven’t read any anthologies/collections.

Thoughts?

Others that have participated: Adam, Pat, John, Larry, and Rob (aren’t I cool since I use the blogger’s first names :)

Which Fantasy Author am I?

Via Andrew Wheeler, I found out that I'm actually Ursula K Le Guin. Who knew?

Your result for Which fantasy writer are you?...

Ursula K Le Guin (b. 1929)

5 High-Brow, -7 Violent, -1 Experimental and 21 Cynical!

Congratulations! You are High-Brow, Peaceful, Traditional and Cynical! These concepts are defined below.

Ursula Kroeber Le Guin is definitely one of the most celebrated science fiction and fantasy writers of all times. Her most famous fantasy work to date is the Earthsea suite of novels and short stories, in which Le Guin created not only one of the most believable societies in fantasy fiction, but also managed to describe a school for wizards almost three decades before Harry Potter. Although often categorized as written for young adults, these books have entertained and challenged readers of all ages since their publication.

Le Guin is no stranger to literary experiments (see for example Always Coming Home(1985)), but much of her story-telling is quite traditional. In fact, she makes a point of returning to older forms of story-telling, which, at her best, enables her to create something akin to myth. One shouldn't confuse myth with faerytale, though. Nothing is ever simplified in Le Guin's world, as she relentlessly explores ethical problems and the moral choices that her characters must make, as must we all. While being one of those writers who will allow you to escape to imaginary worlds, she is also one who will prompt you to return to your actual life, perhaps a little wiser than you used to be.

You are also a lot like Susan Cooper.

If you want some action, try Michael Moorcock.

If you'd like a challenge, try your exact opposite, C S Lewis.

Your score

This is how to interpret your score: Your attitudes have been measured on four different scales, called 1) High-Brow vs. Low-Brow, 2) Violent vs. Peaceful, 3) Experimental vs. Traditional and 4) Cynical vs. Romantic. Imagine that when you were born, you were in a state of innocence, a tabula rasa who would have scored zero on each scale. Since then, a number of circumstances (including genetical, cultural and environmental factors) have pushed you towards either end of these scales. If you're at 45 or -45 you would be almost entirely cynical, low-brow or whatever. The closer to zero you are, the less extreme your attitude. However, you should always be more of either (eg more romantic than cynical). Please note that even though High-Brow, Violent, Experimental and Cynical have positive numbers (1 through 45) and their opposites negative numbers (-1 through -45), this doesn't mean that either quality is better. All attitudes have their positive and negative sides, as explained below.

High-Brow vs. Low-Brow

You received 5 points, making you more High-Brow than Low-Brow. Being high-browed in this context refers to being more fascinated with the sort of art that critics and scholars tend to favour, rather than the best-selling kind. At their best, high-brows are cultured, able to appreciate the finer nuances of literature and not content with simplifications. At their worst they are, well, snobs.

Violent vs. Peaceful

You received -7 points, making you more Peaceful than Violent. This scale is a measurement of a) if you are tolerant to violence in fiction and b) whether you see violence as a means that can be used to achieve a good end. If you aren't, and you don't, then you are peaceful as defined here. At their best, peaceful people are the ones who encourage dialogue and understanding as a means of solving conflicts. At their worst, they are standing passively by as they or third parties are hurt by less scrupulous individuals.

Experimental vs. Traditional

You received -1 points, making you more Traditional than Experimental. Your position on this scale indicates if you're more likely to seek out the new and unexpected or if you are more comfortable with the familiar, especially in regards to culture. Note that traditional as defined here does not equal conservative, in the political sense. At their best, traditional people don't change winning concepts, favouring storytelling over empty poses. At their worst, they are somewhat narrow-minded.

Cynical vs. Romantic

You received 21 points, making you more Cynical than Romantic. Your position on this scale indicates if you are more likely to be wary, suspicious and skeptical to people around you and the world at large, or if you are more likely to believe in grand schemes, happy endings and the basic goodness of humankind. It is by far the most vaguely defined scale, which is why you'll find the sentence "you are also a lot like x" above. If you feel that your position on this scale is wrong, then you are probably more like author x. At their best, cynical people are able to see through lies and spot crucial flaws in plans and schemes. At their worst, they are overly negative, bringing everybody else down.

Author picture from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:UrsulaLeGuin.01.jpg

Take Which fantasy writer are you? at HelloQuizzy

What does a Bookmark Say?

Well, I'm off on vacation to Colorado for a few days and I thought I'd leave behind something of a meme. Bookmarks - what bookmark to you use? Has it been the same for a long time? Do you use multiple bookmarks? Is your system even more complicated?

The one below has been my primary bookmark for about 8 years now. My wife gave it to me - it came from the promotional materials of the NASA mission Odyssey - she's on the science team. I'm shocked it hasn't fallen apart or been lost (aside from a day or two hiatus from time to time). It's held up remarkably well.

Here is a shot of a pile that I have laying around - some get used from time to time when I'm reading multiple books (usually parenting nonsense) and I know I others around someplace - but mostly work hard at collecting dust.

So, show us your bookmark(s).

(Another) Book Reviewers Meme

I often shy away from them, but John (Grasping for the Wind) has another meme in mind and it seems rather interesting.

Here is how it works: Find a favorite book, movie, or videogame review (Science fiction and fantasy related) that you have written, no matter where it was posted, and add it to the following list. Make sure to repost the whole list, because in doing so, we accumulate what the reviewers themselves think is their best work, and give each other some linkages, increasing everyone's rankings.

Again, I plan to keep track of all the blogs that link back to me, and I will add the review of choice to the list. If you are one of the early adopters, you can check back here occasionally and add the new ones that get added to the list at your blog or website.

This probably won't be as successful as the Book Reviewers Linkup Meme, but I certainly would find it useful to know what reviews are considered their best by the writers themselves.

The Book Review Meme @ Grasping for the Wind

1. Grasping for the Wind - INFOQUAKE by David Louis Edelman
2. Age 30+ ... A Lifetime of Books - A COMPANION TO WOLVES by Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear
3. Dragons, Heroes and Wizards - ASSASSIN'S APPRENTICE by Robin Hobb
4. Walker of Worlds - THE TEMPORAL VOID by Peter F Hamilton

5. Neth Space - TOLL THE HOUNDS by Steven Erikson

Guardian's Science Fiction & Fantasy Novels Everyone Must Read: The Meme

I saw it SF Signal and I figure it'll make some rounds. The alternate title to the post would be something like 'The Shameful Admission That I'm Actually Not Very Well Read in SFF". The books I've read are bolded, I've italicized books that are languishing in The Stack, and linked reviews I've written. I'm not planning on taking the time to comment on what books should be on the list and what shouldn't. I'm sure there will be lots of discussion along those directions elsewhere.

Guardian has been running a series called 1,000 Novels Everyone Must Read and has recently published their 131 science fiction and fantasy picks. (Links to intro. For the list, see Parts One, Two and Three.) They've also listed a couple of interesting articles: The Best Dystopias by Michael Moorcock, Imagined Worlds by Susanna Clarke, and Novels that predicted the future by Andrew Crumey.

1. Douglas Adams: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1979)
2. Brian W Aldiss: Non-Stop (1958)
3. Isaac Asimov: Foundation (1951)
4. Margaret Atwood: The Blind Assassin (2000)
5. Paul Auster: In the Country of Last Things (1987)
6. JG Ballard: The Drowned World (1962)
7. JG Ballard: Crash (1973)
8. Iain Banks: The Wasp Factory (1984)
   
9. Iain M Banks: Consider Phlebas (1987)
   
10. Clive Barker: Weaveworld (1987)
    
11. Nicola Barker: Darkmans (2007)
    
12. Stephen Baxter: The Time Ships (1995)
    
13. Greg Bear: Darwin's Radio (1999)
    
14. Alfred Bester: The Stars My Destination (1956)
    
15. Poppy Z Brite: Lost Souls (1992)
    
16. Algis Budrys: Rogue Moon (1960)
    
17. Mikhail Bulgakov: The Master and Margarita (1966)
    
18. Edward Bulwer-Lytton: The Coming Race (1871)
    
19. Anthony Burgess: A Clockwork Orange (1960)
    
20. Anthony Burgess: The End of the World News (1982)
    
21. Edgar Rice Burroughs: A Princess of Mars (1912)
    
22. William Burroughs: Naked Lunch (1959)
    
23. Octavia Butler: Kindred (1979)
    
24. Samuel Butler: Erewhon (1872)
    
25. Italo Calvino: The Baron in the Trees (1957)
    
26. Ramsey Campbell: The Influence (1988)
    
27. Lewis Carroll: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865)
    
28. Lewis Carroll: Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There (1871)
    
29. Angela Carter: Nights at the Circus (1984)
    
30. Michael Chabon: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay (2000)
    
31. Arthur C Clarke: Childhood's End (1953)
    
32. GK Chesterton: The Man Who Was Thursday (1908)
    
33. Susanna Clarke: Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell (2004)
    
34. Michael G Coney: Hello Summer, Goodbye (1975)
    
35. Douglas Coupland: Girlfriend in a Coma (1998)
    
36. Mark Danielewski: House of Leaves (2000)
    
37. Marie Darrieussecq: Pig Tales (1996)
    
38. Samuel R Delaney: The Einstein Intersection (1967)
    
39. Philip K Dick: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968)
    
40. Philip K Dick: The Man in the High Castle (1962)
    
41. Umberto Eco: Foucault's Pendulum (1988)
    
42. Michel Faber: Under the Skin (2000)
    
43. John Fowles: The Magus (1966)
    
44. Neil Gaiman: American Gods (2001)
    
45. Alan Garner: Red Shift (1973)
    
46. William Gibson: Neuromancer (1984)
    
47. Charlotte Perkins Gilman: Herland (1915)
    
48. William Golding: Lord of the Flies (1954)
    
49. Joe Haldeman: The Forever War (1974)
    
50. M John Harrison: Light (2002)
    
51. Robert A Heinlein: Stranger in a Strange Land (1961)
    
52. Frank Herbert: Dune (1965)
    
53. Hermann Hesse: The Glass Bead Game (1943)
    
54. Russell Hoban: Riddley Walker (1980)
    
55. James Hogg: The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner (1824)
    
56. Michel Houellebecq: Atomised (1998)
    
57. Aldous Huxley: Brave New World (1932)
    
58. Kazuo Ishiguro: The Unconsoled (1995)
    
59. Shirley Jackson: The Haunting of Hill House (1959)
    
60. Henry James: The Turn of the Screw (1898)
    
61. PD James: The Children of Men (1992)
    
62. Richard Jefferies: After London; Or, Wild England (1885)
    
63. Gwyneth Jones: Bold as Love (2001)
    
64. Franz Kafka: The Trial (1925)
    
65. Daniel Keyes: Flowers for Algernon (1966)
    
66. Stephen King: The Shining (1977)
    
67. Marghanita Laski: The Victorian Chaise-longue (1953)
    
68. Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu: Uncle Silas (1864)
    
69. Stanislaw Lem: Solaris (1961)
    
70. Doris Lessing: Memoirs of a Survivor (1974)
    
71. David Lindsay: A Voyage to Arcturus (1920)
    
72. Ken MacLeod: The Night Sessions (2008)
73. C.S. Lewis: The Chronicles of Narnia (1950-56)
    
74. Hilary Mantel: Beyond Black (2005)
    
75. Michael Marshall Smith: Only Forward (1994)
    
76. Richard Matheson: I Am Legend (1954)
    
77. Charles Maturin: Melmoth the Wanderer (1820)
    
78. Patrick McCabe: The Butcher Boy (1992)
    
79. Cormac McCarthy: The Road (2006)
    
80. Jed Mercurio: Ascent (2007)
    
81. China Miéville: The Scar (2002)
    
82. Andrew Miller: Ingenious Pain (1997)
    
83. Walter M Miller Jr: A Canticle for Leibowitz (1960)
    
84. David Mitchell: Cloud Atlas (2004)
    
85. Michael Moorcock: Mother London (1988)
    
86. William Morris: News From Nowhere (1890)
    
87. Toni Morrison: Beloved (1987)
    
88. Haruki Murakami: The Wind-up Bird Chronicle (1995)
    
89. Vladimir Nabokov: Ada or Ardor (1969)
    
90. Audrey Niffenegger: The Time Traveler's Wife (2003)
    
91. Larry Niven: Ringworld (1970)
    
92. Jeff Noon: Vurt (1993)
    
93. Flann O'Brien: The Third Policeman (1967)
    
94. Ben Okri: The Famished Road (1991)
    
95. Chuck Palahniuk: Fight Club (1996)
    
96. Thomas Love Peacock: Nightmare Abbey (1818)
    
97. Mervyn Peake: Titus Groan (1946)
    
98. John Cowper Powys: A Glastonbury Romance (1932)
99. Terry Pratchett: The Discworld Series (1983- )
    
100. Christopher Priest: The Prestige (1995)
101. Phillip Pullman: His Dark Materials (1995-2000)
     
102. François Rabelais: Gargantua and Pantagruel (1532-34)
     
103. Ann Radcliffe: The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794)
     
104. Alastair Reynolds: Revelation Space (2000)
     
105. Kim Stanley Robinson: The Years of Rice and Salt (2002)
     
106. JK Rowling: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (1997)
     
107. Salman Rushdie: The Satanic Verses (1988)
     
108. Antoine de Sainte-Exupéry: The Little Prince (1943)
     
109. José Saramago: Blindness (1995)
     
110. Will Self: How the Dead Live (2000)
     
111. Mary Shelley: Frankenstein (1818)
     
112. Dan Simmons: Hyperion (1989)
     
113. Olaf Stapledon: Star Maker (1937)
     
114. Neal Stephenson: Snow Crash (1992)
     
115. Robert Louis Stevenson: The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886)
     
116. Bram Stoker: Dracula (1897)
     
117. Rupert Thomson: The Insult (1996)
118. JRR Tolkien: The Hobbit (1937)
119. JRR Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings (1954-55)
     
120. Mark Twain: A Connecticut Yankee at King Arthur's Court (1889)
     
121. Kurt Vonnegut: Sirens of Titan (1959)
     
122. Robert Walser: Institute Benjamenta (1909)
     
123. Sylvia Townsend Warner: Lolly Willowes (1926)
     
124. Sarah Waters: Affinity (1999)
     
125. HG Wells: The Time Machine (1895)
     
126. HG Wells: The War of the Worlds (1898)
     
127. TH White: The Sword in the Stone (1938)
     
128. Gene Wolfe: The Book of the New Sun (1980-83)
     
129. John Wyndham: Day of the Triffids (1951)
     
130. John Wyndham: The Midwich Cuckoos (1957)
     
131. Yevgeny Zamyatin: We (1924)

The Meme

So, this little meme has been going around and I'm late to the game. I've added a few - but I'm sure I'm missed some from my own blog roll. Anyway, the meme is below.

From John:

My list of fantasy and sf book reviewers is woefully out of date. I need your help to fix that. But rather than go through the hassle of having you send me recommendations or sticking them in comments, what you can do is take the following list and stick it on your website, then add yourself to the list, preferably in alphabetical order. That way, I will be able to track it across the web from back links, and can add each new blog to my roll as it comes along. So take this list, add it to your blog, and add a link to your blog on it. If you are already on the list, repost this meme at your blog so others can see it, and find new blogs from the links others put up on their blogs. Everybody wins! Be sure to send the list around to others as well. There is an easy to copy window of all the links and text at the bottom of this post to make it even simpler to do.

I would be ever so grateful if you would help me out.

A Dribble Of InkAdventures in Reading
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I Guess I’m It

I usually don’t go for memes, but Larry tagged me and I figure what the hell.

Grab the nearest book and turn to page 123. Write down the fifth sentence, post it, and then tag 5 others to do this.

I’m at work right now, so this one will be real exciting.

“The pulse test is a modification of the slug test whereby a testing interval within a single borehole is instantaneously under- or over-pressured by removing or adding water.”
-Physical and Chemical Hydrogeology: Second Edition by Patrick A. Domenico and Franklin W. Schwartz

So, misery loves company and I need to tag a few:

Lawrence’s new blog at Count Zero

Dark Wolf’s Fantasy Reviews

Fantasy Book News and Reviews

Graeme’s Fantasy Book Review

SciFiChick

Larry's Fun Little Game

I’m not a big fan of ‘memes’, but I saw this over at the OF Blog (I know it’s not really a meme, but it’s close). Anyway, I found it caught my eye, so I’ll jump in.

Five Recent Reads:

The Dragons of Babel by Michael Swanwick (currently reading)

Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie (review)

The Inferior by Peadar Ó Guilín (review)

Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson (review)

The Traitor by Michael Cisco (review)

Seeing all these together makes things seem rather more eclectic than I had realized.

One I Am About To Start Reading:

The Martian General’s Daughter by Theodore Judson (this upcoming release by Pyr looks very good)

Tagged by the 'Blogging Tips Meme'

The SciFi Chick, Angela, has tagged me for this blogging tips meme - I suppose I have to do somethng about it.

-Start Copy-

It’s very simple. When this is passed on to you, copy the whole thing, skim the list and put a * star beside those that you like. (Check out especially the * starred ones.)

Add the next number (1. 2. 3. 4. 5., etc.) and write your own blogging tip for other bloggers. Try to make your tip general.

After that, tag 10 other people. Link love some friends!

Just think- if 10 people start this, the 10 people pass it onto another 10 people, you have 100 links already!

1. Look, read, and learn. **

-http://www.neonscent.com

2. Be, EXCELLENT to each other. *

-http://www.bushmackel.com

3. Don’t let money change ya! *

-http://www.therandomforest.info

4. Always reply to your comments. ***

-http://chattiekat.com

5. Link liberally — it keeps you and your friends afloat in the Sea of Technorati. *

-http://chipsquips.com

6. Don’t give up - persistance is fertile. **

-http://www.velcro-city.co.uk

7. Give link credit where credit is due. ***

-http://www.sfsignal.com

8. Pictures say a thousand words and can usually add to any post.*

-http://scifichick.com

9. Participating in 'memes' is a distructive habit and should be avoided at all costs.

-http://nethspace.blogspot.com/

-End Copy-

Well, I'm not actually a big fan of memes. I don't like chain emails and back in the stone age, I didn't like chain letters. I'm tempted to not tag anyone, but really, misery loves company. So, I tag A Dribblie of Ink, Adventures in Reading, Fantasy Book Critic, Graeme's Fantasy Book Review, OF Blog of the Fallen, The Bodhisattva, The Gravel Pit, The Fantasy Review, The Pearls are Cooling, and Rob's Blog o'Stuff.